Samsung launches flagship Galaxy Tab S2 Android tablets

Samsung is taking a second swing at its best-selling flagship Galaxy Tab S series with the S2 family, and it looks like they're going to knock this one out of the park.

Available in 8” and 9.7” screen sizes, and retaining the slim profile and super-sharp screen of the original Tab S, the S2 range caters to both the casual user and those who want a more fully-fledged tablet experience.

Measuring just 5.6mm at the waist, these svelte Android-powered tablets aren't only thinner than the iPad Air, they're the skinniest in the world – making them perfect to pop in your carryon or notebook bag.

If you use your tablet primarily for work, Samsung has you covered with the standard inclusion of the Microsoft Office suite with 100GB of OneDrive cloud storage, plus an upgraded 'book cover' keyboard for the 9.7” model.

The cover is more substantial than typical tablet keyboards because it comes with larger keys and also a trackpad.

The back cover detaches from the main keyboard so you can have some space between the tablet and your keyboard. A more typical book-style folding cover is also available.

Any important work files are kept secure with the fingerprint scanner built into the home button. Also useful for work is the multi-window function, handy when copying between documents or simply for working in two apps at once.

Known for the quality of its displays, Samsung has fitted both Galaxy tablets with a 2048 x 1536 pixel organic LED screen.

Although the resolution isn't ratcheted up higher than last year’s model the quality is excellent, with vibrant colours and the deep blacks that are the hallmark of these displays.

One complaint in the original Tab S was the 16:10 aspect ratio, which was more suited to watching movies. Samsung has addressed this by moving to a wider and more rectangular 4:3 ratio display that's better for browsing the Web and editing documents.

Under the hood, you’ve got an 8-core processor, 3GB RAM and 32GB of storage space, which is expandable with a microSD card.

While those specs aren't absolute cutting edge of tablets, the Tab S2 still has plenty of grunt for near any task and the eight cores certainly help with multitasking.

Expect at last 12 hours of battery life on the 9.7" Tab S2 and 14 hours on the smaller 8" model, with extra time between top-ups if you dive into the power-saving settings.

Both Tab S2 models are available with wireless only or 4G LTE from September 15th, with prices as follows

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Wi-Fi (9.7-inch, 32GB) – RRP $599

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Wi-Fi and 4G (9.7-inch 32GB) – RRP $749

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Wi-Fi (8.0-inch, 32GB) – RRP $499

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Wi-Fi and 4G (8.0-inch 32GB) – RRP $649

The Galaxy Tab S2 is available in white and black, although Australian customers miss out on the gold-clad model available in selected overseas markets.